Varumärkeslojalitet i förändring : En kvalitativ studie om hur bilföretag hanterar varumärkeslojalitet vid teknikskiftet mot elbilar.

Sammanfattning

This study examines how an ongoing radical technological shift affects brand loyalty within established firms, with a specific focus on the automotive industry’s transition to electric vehicles. The study adopts a qualitative research design based on semi-structured interviews with car dealerships, providing insights from a firm perspective. The findings show that brand loyalty does not disappear during technological transitions, but rather becomes more dynamic. The underlying mechanisms of loyalty, particularly customer engagement and brand attachment, are reshaped in response to changing value logics. Customer engagement initially becomes more cognitively driven, as customers focus on technical specifications and uncertainty reduction. Over time, emotional and relational dimensions regain importance. Similarly, brand attachment becomes more conditional and can temporarily weaken but may be reactivated when the brand regains functional relevance. Furthermore, the study highlights that firms actively manage loyalty through advisory roles, personalized interactions, and the development of broader value offerings. The results emphasize that loyalty is continuously negotiated rather than stable, and that firms play a central role in shaping customer relationships during technological change.